What is this feeling?
by Dinoluvr
Summary: Aang shows up at Tophs house looking for advice after Katara gets mad at at him, and he ends up staying a week after deciding to take a break with her. Will Toph and Aang descover new feelings for each other? Or will they just resurrect feelings that were already there, hidden just under the surface? Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Avatar or any of its characters.

_**Authors note:** Well, I actually managed to get it uploaded tonight XP If it sounds bad, its because I was tired. X3 Anyways, please reveiw or PM me... Constructive criticism is well appreciated :) I will have the next chapter up whenever I get bored again ^.^_

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**Chapter 1**

Toph gave a small sigh as she walked through her house, feeling the servants move to and fro through the vibrations in her feet. She was twenty two now, and she was completely alone. The rest of team avatar was gone, off living their own lives. She couldn't go back to live with her parents, not after everything, so had decided to live her life as a lonely blind hermit… Fun. Ok, so maybe she missed her friends and family. Not that she would ever let them know, it would be taken as weakness. She was the rock. She couldn't crumble just because of a little loneliness.

Toph was so lost in her train of thought, that it surprised her when a servant was upon her, already taking about someone at the door blah blah blah. "Let them in." she told him wearily, giving a small wave of her hand to dismiss him. Whoever it was had to be better company than no one. As she walked in the direction of the servant, dress swirling over her bare feet as she moved, she felt a familiar vibration and a grin broke through her features. "Twinkle toes!" She cheered as he approached, and she heard him give a small laugh.

"Nice to see you too Toph." Aang said, with what could only be a grin. It was so nice to see him; Toph couldn't resist running up and throwing her arms around him in a hug. He was much taller than she remembered, and as she thought about it, his voice was much deeper too. He had actual muscles now instead of being the scrawny kid from before. She could probably still beat him up, but he was definitely grown up now. Aang laughed again, wrapping his arms around her in a quick hug before letting go. "And here I thought I was going to get a rock to the gut." He chuckled teasingly as he stepped back.

Toph rolled her blind eyes, giving him a glare. "There's still a very real possibility of that, so don't get comfortable." She warned, joking more than anything. She felt all giddy inside for some reason, like there were butterflies in her stomach. Oh god….. That's how she used to feel around Sokka when she was younger. She can't have a crush on Aang! He loves Katara! Or used too…. Her mind added, and she mentally through a rock at the thought. Stupid mind… She muttered silently. Of course he still loved Katara. They were probably married with a few kids by now. "So, what brings you to Bei Fong Manner?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she gestured for a servant to bring drinks and for Aang to sit down in one of the various couches.

"Oh, you know, just checking up on old friends." He said conversationally, as if this were just your ordinary visit. Toph raised an eyebrow, knowing there must be something else.

"What's wrong?" she asked seriously, the servant handing them both a glass of water. "Does the world need team avatar again?" she added, taking a small sip from her glass.

Aang sighed, "Not yet…. I guess I really came because of Katara… I need advice." He admitted, sounding sheepish. Toph nearly choked on her water, as it processed, looking at him incredulously.

"And you thought _I_ was the best person to ask?" Toph questioned, voice slightly higher pitched in shock. She gave a sharp laugh, devoid of much humor, "She and I never really liked each other, if you recall. Besides, my brain doesn't work like most girls. I may have similar thoughts and feelings, but I'm probably as hopeless as Zuko. Why not ask Sokka? He's her brother and all; shouldn't he have more of a clue?" She inquired, raising an intuitive eyebrow.

Aang laughed, again sounding sheepish… He must have been pretty awkward at that moment. "Well, you see," he began nervously, "She's mad at me… I spent much longer than I had anticipated on one of my 'avatar trips', and she was upset that I didn't warn her or anything… Now she won't talk to me and won't even let me in the house. What should I do? You're a girl, what would make you forgive someone?" he asked, seeming genuinely upset by this. Toph couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy towards Katara, but knew why Aang was so crazy about her. Even being blind, Toph knew Katara was beautiful, way prettier than she could ever be. And Katara was the perfect mother; she had acted as such during their team avatar days, why wouldn't it transfer to real mothering? Toph was too stubborn, thick-headed, guy-ish, and temperamental for that kind of thing… She was the opposite of Katara. Not to mention the fact that Katara had working eyes.

"Well, uh…" Toph began uncertainly, not knowing what to say. "I honestly have no idea… Maybe it's a sign that you and Katara should split ways… You know, take a break." She offered, hoping to keep the small twinge of hope from seeping into her voice.

If Toph could see, she would have seen Aang grimace at that. "I can't leave her… I love her." He insisted, sounding completely miserable and hopeless. Toph bit her lip nervously, wondering what the appropriate response would be. She never thought about her words this much… Stupid Aang, making her self-conscious.

"I know, but maybe a little break from each other would help. Sugar Queen probably just needs time to brood over it. She'll probably be fine in a week or so. In the meantime, you could stay here with me…" She finally decided upon, hoping she didn't sound desperate. She also hoped he would buy it and not think it was a stupid idea.

Aang took a moment to think about it, and the silence seemed to stretch on forever for Toph. He finally gave a nod, which she couldn't see, and spoke, "Ok. I think you're right. I'll just send Katara a note to let her know where I'm at." He decided, to her surprise, and quickly went to do just that. Toph gave a tiny squeal of joy, trying to hide her grin. Things couldn't have been perfect. Maybe after this stay, Toph wouldn't be the lonely blind hermit anymore… She might be the blind avatars girl. At that thought, Toph nearly broke out laughing. It was so preposterous of an idea; Toph couldn't help but believe it would happen. Once Sugar Queen was out of the way of course. How she would get Aang attention was beyond her, but she'd find a way. Even if it was the last thing she did.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors_ Note: _**_Well... I can't say I'm very pleased by this chapter :p I did my best, but I think I may have gotten a bit out of character at times. If you have any way I could have made this chapter better, please let me know. I'd be so happy to hear what everyone thinks. And to those who followed my story and I, thank you so much! That means the world to me :) I'll try to update quickly, but sometimes I may update faster than others. Anyways, I hope you at least semi-enjoy this chapter! ^.^_

**Chapter 2**

Aang came back shortly after sending the letter to Katara, his steps seeming slower and more dragged. She'd never felt his steps this heavy before. In a burst of determination, Toph rushed over to him, giving him a quick smile. "What you need is a bit of sparing to get your mind off of things." She stated matter-of-factly. She could almost feel Aang's confused stare as she continued, "Meet me out back in an hour, it's been a while since I've had any good competition." Toph added with another quick smile before turning away and walking towards her room.

When she had first got the house, navigation was a bit of an issue. Instead of relying on servants for the first weeks or so, she had them walk around every square inch of the house so she could feel its layout. She'll run into a wall every once in a while, and will have to wipe the smirk off of some servants face with a quick flick of her wrist. She was the best earth-bender in the world, and she knew it. Nobody could compare. Except maybe the avatar, but Twinkle Toes wasn't that good yet.

In her room, Toph quickly ordered a servant to fetch her sparing uniform, putting it on herself. That was another way she'd tried to become more independent after leaving her parents. With them, she couldn't do nearly anything by herself. She was barely allowed to feed herself. After quickly dressing and putting in an old headband to hold her hair back, Toph headed out pack to warm up. She executed an almost flawless set of moves, smirking in contempt as she did so. When she was earth-bending, she felt like she was invincible. Like everything was ok and she didn't have to worry anymore. She even forgot her loneliness.

She felt Aang approach a little while later and inconspicuously moved her foot in his direction. He remembered her training though, and was in the hair instantly before lightly landing on top of the rock. "Is that all the great Blind Bandit can throw at me?" he teased with a chuckle, jumping off of the rock to land down lightly again. She could barely feel his vibrations, they sort of felt like an ants steps.

"Don't worry, I'll throw more than that at you." She assured him, not even finishing before she flicked her wrist and stomped her heel into the ground at the same time. He dodged that blow too, though, using his air-bending to his advantage. Just as he touched the ground he switched into a firmer stance, sending a rock wall at her. She broke the wall easily, splitting it like butter before sending a round of spikes towards him.

Aang was grinning by the sound of his voice as he dodged and threw blows, easily matching her pace. "I've improved, haven't I?" he asked, sounding as if he already knew the answer. And, truth was, he had improved. A lot. He was much better than the boy who had fought the Fire Lord and won. And it made Toph yearn for him even more. He was her perfect match. In earth-bending as well as in personality. He was soft where she was tough, he was calm where she was temperamental, and he was everything she could possibly need or want. Sure, she'd thought the same thing about Sokka when she was twelve, but this was different. She actually knew what love was supposed to be now, and she wasn't just a hormonal teenager anymore.

Toph rolled her eyes though, not wanting him to suspect something. "Yeah yeah, whatever. You still have a long ways to go before you can beat me. Can you even metal-bend yet?" she asked, hoping it sounded nonchalant and bored. He chuckled again, curse him and that chuckle, and gave Toph a smile from what she could tell by his voice.

"Not yet, I've been practicing though." He assured her, standing up straight now that their battle had ended. "But the only reason I'm this good is because I learned from the best." He added, and Toph could feel her traitor cheeks grow warm.

"Whatever, just keep practicing. You're still sloppy, try giving your moves more elegance. You're acting like a five year old trying to move his first rock." She muttered in response, giving that insults were her way of avoiding compliments. She'd done it ever since she could remember.

"Ok, I will." He assured her, and Toph could tell he was holding back a laugh. It infuriated her, but at the same time, it made her feel puny and small. What is he was laughing at her, not with her? Who was she kidding, Aang liked girls like Katara, not girls like her.

"Uh, be there for dinner." Was all she mumbled before rushing off to her room, quickly closing the door behind her. She had left behind a very confused Aang, wondering what he had said to make her upset. Once in the solitude of her closed doors, Toph allowed a single tear to fall. No more, no less. How could she have even considered this? If she could see, she would know Katara was much more beautiful than she could ever hope to be. Katara had guys flinging themselves at her left and right. Jet, Haru, even Zuko seemed to want her at one point. Even that stupid play had said that Zuko and Katara had something going on.

Toph sighed; she just couldn't compete with that. At that moment, a light knock sounded on her door. She'd been so preoccupied with her thoughts, she hadn't felt Aang approach. "Are you ok?" he asked, almost quietly, as he spoke with her through the door.

Toph pursed her lips, "I'm fine. Just tired." She added, hoping it was a good excuse.

Aang didn't buy it though, "What's really wrong, Toph?" he asked, still speaking through the door. She frowned, why he couldn't just go away and leave her to her misery was beyond her. This was just reminding her of how kind and good hearted he was. And how much he wasn't hers.

"Nothing." She insisted, a silent note of anguish in her voice. Aang sighed, figuring her wasn't going to get anything more from her.

"I'm here if you want to talk, at anytime." He told her, wanting to make her understand she could come to him.

Toph grimaced, "Ok, I'll do that." She lied, hoping he would go now. He did, leaving as silently as he had come. She could trace him back to his room, where he must've sat down or something because his vibrations stopped. As Toph sat there, brooding in silence, a thought occurred to her. What if she showed him that she could be pretty too, not as pretty as Katara, but pretty all the same. She would be girly for him, every once in a while of course. She couldn't do it every day, that would be pure torture. Toph just wasn't that kind of girl.

With a nod of approval at herself, Toph ordered one of the servants in, explaining what she wanted them to do. The servant seemed very suprised by this change of behavior, but she quickly obliged. After a quick bath, Toph was being primped and polished beyond recognition... At least, thats what she thought.

_**Authors Note:** There you have it, chapter 2. Again, I would love to hear from everyone who reads this, let me know what you like and dislike about it-I would gladly take your opinion into account :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Authors Note: **Ok, so this chapter is mainly from Aangs POV. I added a tad of Toph's, just to make the story a little more interesting... It failed though because this is an incredibly boring chapter X3 The next one will be better, I promise ^.^ Also, a Nuna story will be up here soon, I just have to type it up and then it will be posted. Please take a look at it once I get it up! Thank you all so much for your reveiws and to everyone who is following me or this story, I love you all :)_

**_Update 10/4/12: _**_Due to a mistake in Chapter 6 I have edited this chapter in order to correct it. I apologize to everyone who has already read the last chapter, and I will get out another chapter as soon as I possibly can to make up for it :) Sorry again!_

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**Chapter 3**

*Aang's POV*

Aang sat in his room quietly, meditating as he tried to center his thoughts. They were filled with images of Toph smiling, laughing, and finally running away. What had he said to her? Why couldn't she even talk to him? It was killing him, not knowing, and he wished Toph would talk. But showing weakness wasn't in her character, he knew that. Aang blinked, why was he spending so much time thinking about this? He should be thinking about his argument with Katara, about how upset he was… He was upset, right? At the moment, Aang could only think about Toph.

Her green eyes, beautiful despite their blindness. And her hair, much longer than it had been when they were younger. She still had the bangs though, and Aang had to admit he loved them. She wouldn't be her without them. Aang was dragged out of his thoughts when a servant knocked on his door, announcing dinner. He acknowledged the servant, quickly checking his appearance before heading out to the dining room.

He nearly froze in his tracks as he saw Toph walk into the room just before him, locking his jaw to keep it from dropping. She was in a flowy floor-length gown, the fabric a pale gold color. Her hair was straight down, the bangs hanging into her eyes as they always did. Toph didn't even have a headband in, but her eyelids had a light dusting of gold powder across them.

She never wore makeup, but the affect was dazzling. She was beautiful to begin with, but this was a completely different side of her. He was shocked, to say the least. Toph gave him a smirk, "Stop gawking and sit down, Twinkle Toes." She teased, gesturing to the chair across from her. Aang nodded numbly, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't see him.

As he sat, he studied her. Really studied her. Aang had never done so before, being caught up with Katara on their travels together. Not to mention she had been his earth-bending master. She'd taught him everything he knew about earth-bending, despite his near inability to learn. Toph's personality was completely opposite to his as well, and that made things fun between them. Earth and air, an improbable pair. Maybe he didn't need Katara after all, things had been rough between them before and he was honestly considering a change. His twelve year old mind hadn't known what he wanted; his twenty two year old mind was much more mature about the whole situation, and he could finally think carefully about his decisions.

The problem though, was Toph probably didn't feel the same way about him. He was still lost in thought about this whole thing, staring slightly, as their food was served to them. It tasted amazing, but he barely noticed as he considered everything. Aang could send Katara a letter, letting her know it was done, and then work on winning Toph. It sounded good at the moment anyways, but what if he was acting on anger instead of his true feelings… Aang couldn't be sure.

Toph looked at him, tilting her head. "You're quiet, what's wrong Twinkle Toes? Is it Sugar Queen?" she asked, and he grew surprisingly hopeful as he noticed the slight grimace as she used Katara's nickname.

Aang gave a sheepish chuckle, glad that she couldn't read minds. "Sort of, not really… I was just wondering if I should end it with her, even after all this time." He explained nervously, awaiting her response to that.

Toph blinked in what could only be surprise, "Well… If that's what you think is right, do it. I personally think you should, you guys are much to alike." She told him, trying to be careful with her words.

Aang nodded, pursing his lips as he thought over her response. It could mean absolutely nothing, but at the same time she could be telling him she wants to be with him… Whatever it meant, Aang was still hopeful. "I see… I think you may have a point. We don't argue often, but when we do its always ends badly. Last time she left to live with Sokka and Suki for a couple of weeks. Finally I had to go apologize to get her back, and even then I still felt I was right. Other times, it's just boring to be around her, that's why I spend so much time away. I don't know, I may just be mad or something." He admitted, looking down sheepishly. "And we went to visit Zuko after Iroh died, and she and him seemed to have a lot of fun hanging out together while I was away. I'd get back and Katara would have another story for me. It wasn't exactly the best feeling." Aang added with a small grimace.

Toph was listening to his ramblings intently, not seeming to care that he was complaining to her. "I think it was a good thing for you to take a break, you aren't speaking with anger, you're speaking with clarity. Before, you thought you loved her so much and that sort of blinded you to everything. I'm actually blind, so trust me when I say you were blinded. You didn't see all of the flaws that I saw, we didn't like each other for a reason, you know. Not 'just because'. I'll admit, I was sort of jealous, but there were other reasons." She said, seeming surprised by her little rant. She normally wasn't good with deep conversations like this, but she felt she owed it to Aang. Not that he knew any of this, of course, but he was still surprised.

"Jealous?" he asked, raising a curious eyebrow at her. He was honestly confused as to what would make her jealous of Katara. She was much prettier, now that he had actually stopped to look, and she was just as strong if not stronger. What was there to be jealous about? And then she blushed, much to his delight, and looked away from him and the table.

"Well…" she began, seeming to be considering something. "I just was." She said finally, obviously not wanting to share her reasons.

Aang resisted to urge to give a sigh, and instead worked on finishing his food. Toph did the same, falling quiet once again. It wasn't as much of an awkward silence this time, but you still got that feeling as it moved through the room. Not to mention that Aang still had thoughts of that blush in his mind, considering every possibility. Could it be that she had eyesight? Or that Katara actually had a family who encouraged her bending?

Or… No, it was impossible. But maybe she had feelings for him, and was jealous that Katara was the one that had his heart through all of those years. As he had said before though, it was impossible. Toph had liked Sokka, not him. Unless her feelings had changed towards the end, it was plausible. Maybe.

After they had finished eating, their plates were cleared and the table cleaned. As Aang stood to head back to his room Toph spoke, "Sit down Twinkle Toes." She smiled, and he obeyed with a confused expression. "We're going to play a question game, I ask a question and you answer it. Then, you ask me a question and I'll answer it. But you can't pass on a question and you can't lie. Ok?" she asked with a slight smirk.

Aang nodded uncertainly, wondering what questions this entitled. "Ok… Wait, how will I know you're lying?" he challenged, grinning slightly.

Toph laughed, "By your earth-bending of course! Trust me; you'll know if I'm lying." She assured him, and he placed his bare feet firmly on the ground. The house had no tiles of course, the floor was entirely dirt.

"Alright then, I'm ready." Aang said, resting his arms on the table as he looked at her. Toph nodded, giving him a knowing smile as she  
considered her first question.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Authors Note: **__Here is the long awaited Ch. 4! Soooooo sorry for my long dissappearance, and I will try to get another chapter out soon. Anyways, this chapter is a little slow, but I personally like the ending I made :) Of course, you guys may think its awful but oh well XD Enjoy!_

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Toph could ask him anything, anything at all. _Do you like me? Do you think I'm pretty? Are you even interested in the least? _These are the questions that ran through her mind, but she didn't choose any of them. Instead, she focused on a different question, "Why did you like Katara in the first place?" she asked, able to picture his stricken look as he tried to form an answer.

"Well, uh, I don't know… I thought she was really pretty, and then she turned out to be really nice and fun." He answered with a shrug, sounding nervous as he did. Toph fought the grimace from her features, not wanting him to see it.

"Katara? Fun? Are you sure you're not thinking of Sokka?" She asked, joking in hopes to ease Aang's nerves. It seemed to work because Aang gave a soft chuckle before he answered.

"I'm sure. When we first met, Katara went penguin sledding with me… After that, she seemed to view herself as the mother figure of the group." He said, trying to help her understand his view of things.

Toph pieced that together; still not able to find a reason why she should pity the girl. Despite all of Katara's niceness to her at the beginning of their relationship, it'd all gone downhill after that. Always fighting and arguing, only now did Toph realize why.

"Uh… I would never have guessed… Next question, what… What are your thoughts on me, honestly?" she asked, trying to make it sound nonchalant and noncommittal, but on the inside a million thoughts raged inside her mind.

Aang raised an eyebrow at her, hope flaring deep inside his chest. What could her motivations behind the question possibly be? "Well, you're strong, determined, and don't care what anyone says. You're true to yourself and don't conform to anyone's idea of how you should be. I like those things about you." He answered with all the honesty he possessed.

Toph nodded, again getting that jittery feeling in the pit of her stomach. How in the world did he make her feel this way? Like she was the most important person on the world, and that even the mention of her name from him gave her strength and hope to continue. A faint blush rose to her cheeks as she processed everything, and she quickly hid her face with her hair. Not that it helped, but it still made her feel better.

Aang tilted his head, his brain taking a moment to put two and two together as he recalled al the events that had taken place since he'd gotten here. As the answer revealed itself, his eyes grew wide and a grin spread across his face.

Toph did like him! It was so obvious now that he took the time to think everything through. All the blushing and giggling and dressing up… All of those things were hints that he so blatantly missed. All that worrying had been for nothing, he just hoped he was right.

"Next question Twinkle Toes." Toph stated, demanding his attention once more. Which he was more than happy to give to her. "What could make you leave Katara?" she asked after a moment's hesitation, obviously worried he might get offended. To her surprise and delight, he laughed.

"Well, a number of things to be honest. Finding someone I loved more, for instance, would be a big factor. My time here has allowed me to think on things, and I believe Katara and my time is up… We've reached our breaking point." He answered with a slight shrug of his shoulders, waiting to see her reaction.

Toph blinked in slight shock. It was all that she could do at the moment. So sugar queen was out of the picture? That was good news… But what was it that changed his mind? Toph shook the thoughts from her mind, blurting out the first question that came to her, "Could you ever love me the way you loved Katara?" she asked, slapping a hand over her mouth as soon as it was out. Wonderful, just wonderful.

Aang tilted his head, now the surprised one. Of course he knew of her feelings, but he didn't expect her to be so blunt. "No." he replied, and he could see as Toph paled and her expression turned pained. "Wait, I'm not finished." He assured her quickly. "What I felt for Katara was nothing more than puppy love or fascination, nothing more. It wasn't love in the least. Katara's never felt anything more than interest in me either, so I don't feel bad saying that. Toph, I couldn't love you like Katara, but I could love you much much more, if you'd let me." He finished, almost out of breath from the depth of his words.

Toph gasped, blinking at him once again, "R-really?" she asked hesitantly, afraid to hope.

"Really." He answered simply, standing swiftly before making his way over to her. She traced his light steps until he was next to her, taking one of her hands that had been clenched tightly from utter disbelief. "I didn't realize it until now, but it's always been you. You weren't just meant to be my teacher; my vision was telling me much more than that. You are my future as well." Aang continued quietly, bringing the back of her hand to his lips to plant a soft kiss. "Believe me."

Toph bit her lip, afraid to believe but wanting nothing more than to hug him. In the end she stood, gave him smile before giving him a small peck on the cheek. "Thank you… Just give me a night to think on things." She murmured before pulling away from him and heading for her room, servants hurrying around to begin cleaning. When Toph was done, everyone was done. Aang stood there for a moment in stunned silence, contemplating his next move. When he felt a yawn come over him, he conceded to leave it at that and whispered a quiet good night to the woman who had left; moving silently to his room to sleep.

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_**Authors Note:**_ _There it is, Ch. 4 :) Just a note, as soon as I have more time or I get finished with this, I will be writing a Zutara fic that ties in with this one ;) Maybe... When I say will, it means maybe XD So anyways, please reveiw! They mean sooooo much to me and I thank everyone who posted feedback, you guys are amazing and I love you all :3 _


	5. Chapter 5

**So as many of you probably noticed, this is the second time I uploaded this one chapter. The previous time I uploaded it, it was unavailable to read. I hope to have now fixed this problem by reuploading it.**

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_**Authors Note: **Here is the long awaiting chapter 5! Everything from writers block, to not having a computer, to having fanfiction spaz out has attempted to stop me from uploading this. But I will survive! XD ANyways, her the chapter 5, I hope you all enjoy it!_

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Sleep? Ha! That was the last thing on Toph's mind. How could she sleep knowing that Aang loved her? Knowing that she had actually taken Katara's place, the girl she had been envious of for as long as she could remember.

She could feel Aang as he moved around his room, his feather light steps barely registering to her sensitive feet. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! Why had she reacted that way? She didn't need a night to 'think on things'. What she needed was him; right here, right now. He probably thought she didn't like him in return, which was absolutely untrue in every sense of the word.

Heaving a sigh, Toph ceased her subconscious pacing and glanced towards the door, contemplating her next move. Going to his room was unthinkable, considering he'd just professed his love and whatnot, not to mention it would be kind of silly for her to change her mind all of a sudden.

Accepting her self-inflicted fate, she quickly got ready for bed, climbing into the feathery mattress as she struggled to find peace. Her thoughts were bombarded with Aang and the day's events, keeping her awake despite her growing weariness. And her mounting frustration wasn't helping the matter. Finally, she turned onto her back and began to think of nothing else but her breathing.

In, out, in, out, in. Over and over again it went, and her eyelids began to droop as she at last found solace in her dreams, Aang an ever present member.

*Aang's POV

Aang had had much less luck in the sleep department as morning slowly dawned and he still hadn't managed to get a wink of sleep. All night long he had been drastically shifting moods as his mind mulled over Toph's reaction, making it impossible for him to sleep.

With a groan he got out of the relatively soft bed and completed his morning ritual; preparing for the day. Throwing the typical monk attire on, Aang stopped to check his reflection in the full length mirror he had found in his room examining himself. With a wry smile he remembered how small he had been when Toph had first met him, and how much they had both changed throughout the years. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and headed for the kitchen, hoping to find a small bite to eat.

Of course he found Toph there, leaning against the counter in her training uniform as she waited for the servants to finish her morning meal. She looked up as he walked in, giving him a wide smile, "Hey twinkle toes." She greeted, and he couldn't help but return the smile despite his exhaustion.

"Hey Toph, going out to train?" he inquired as he simply grabbed an apple from the kitchens fruit basket, biting into the red fruit.

Toph nodded, "Yep, want to join?" she inquired in reply, raising an eyebrow as well.

Aang internally grimaced; bending had not been high on his list of things to do today. But knowing he couldn't exactly turn down her offer, he accepted. And then a thought occurred to him, "So what did you decide?" he asked, not looking at her as he took another bite of his apple.

For a moment, all was silent; finally Toph spoke, "Well, twinkle tour always there, buzzing in my head like a mosquito-gnat. I do love you twinkle toes, and I have for a very long while." She added the last part quietly, afraid that if she spoke to loudly it would scare the moment away and she would be left to realize it had all been a dream.

Aang's heart swelled as he looked up at her. She was staring out the ground, fiddling with the meteorite bracelet she had gotten when they were kids. He couldn't stop the smile as he moved toward her, using a finger to lift her chin so he could see her eyes. The pale green eyes that he had always thought were gorgeous.

"Toph, you're beautiful and smart and just plain amazing. I honestly don't think I'm deserving, but I'll try my best to be the man that you deserve." He whispered, lips inches from hers.

She let out a small squeak, eyes brightening as she began to tear up slightly, "Aang… I think that's the nicest thing anyone's ever told me…" she responded thickly, eyes locked with his despite their blindness.

He grinned, "Well, you might want to get used to hearing nice things, especially if I'm going to be around for a while." He chuckled before moving to press his lips to hers, hands moving to rest lightly on her hips. She kissed him back, timid at first before she deepened it, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck.

It was the best kiss he'd had in his life, and was very disappointed when Toph pulled away to end it. She smiled up at him, "You know what, twinkle toes? Instead of training, we should have a picnic." She stated out of the blue, and he couldn't help but give a small chuckle.

"I'm ok with that if you are." He assured her, kissing her lightly on the forehead. She giggled before turning to the servants, giving them various orders on the arrangements.

Taking his hand, Toph led him outside, towards the vast garden she had decided upon in the last few years. Aang walked alongside her silently, studying her as she walked through the garden with a small smile gracing her lips.

Picking a blood red rose from its stem as the passed, Aang pulled his hand from Toph's to quickly de-thorn it before handing to her. "For you." He explained, beaming at her.

Toph took it in her hand, bringing it to her nose to smell the flower. "This one actually smells good." She said with a smile, "Others flowers don't always smell this good." She explained, glancing up at Aang. Considering she couldn't see, smelling was probably her way of seeing the flowers. "I think it's my new favorite." She added, smelling it again.

Aang grinned, "I've always preferred roses as well, Katara was more of a lily person though…" he added, grimacing as he mentally slapped himself. Great, now he had completely ruined the mood.

But to his surprise, she smiled, "Well, at least we have _something_ in common." She giggled, taking his hand once more as she led him underneath a giant oak tree that sat in the midst of the garden. Toph sat down under the shade, and Aang joined her, laying back to gaze up through the leaves.

They stayed like that for a while, her sitting, him laying down, as they sat in companionable silence. The food was finally brought, laid out before them on a blanket that would double as their chair. Toph grinned and moved over to the food after the servants had laughed, Aang taking his place beside her.

With a tilt of her head, she turned towards Aang. "You're gonna have to help me out here." She admitted sheepishly, cheeks slightly pink in embarrassment. "I can't tell what is what since, you know…" she added with a frown.

Aang laughed and kissed the spot just below her ear, "No worries, my blind bandit." He answered quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Authors Note: **__Where have I been you ask? Well... I really have no excuse X3 Other than the fact that I've been extrememly busy with school lately, there is no reason I haven't updated XP Anyways, here it is, the long awaited Ch. 6! You're in for a shocker at the end ;3_

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Toph giggled slightly, cursing herself for the incredibly girly act. _What are you? Five? _She chided herself, gazing unseeingly at the delicious smelling food in front of her.

"Let's play a game." Aang said, and Toph could imagine his grin. "I feed you something and you tell me what it is, ok?" he asked, and Toph pursed her lips in thought.

"Ok, Twinkle Toes, I'll play your game. But just to warn you, I will hit in a not so pleasant place if I detect any funny business." She threatened, hoping to make up for her earlier girliness. She was so not going to start acting like Mrs. Sugar Queen.

Aang nodded, and Toph opened her mouth as her put something against her lips, and as soon as she bit into the juicy piece of fruit she knew what it was. "Strawberry." She answered with a grimace, "I can't stand them." She added with a pretend gag.

She could picture Aang rolling his eyes as he chuckled, "What about this?" he asked, and something else went into her mouth.

After chewing the food, Toph sat in thought for a moment, "A tomato covered in salad dressing?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Aang laughed, "You got it." He congratulated, plopping yet another item into her mouth.

"Part of a grilled cheese." She answered with a wide smile, "My favorite."

Aang raised an eyebrow, "You were raised in one of the richest families in the earth kingdom and your favorite entrée is a grilled cheese sandwich?" he asked in vivid disbelief.

Toph laughed at him, "When you`re rich and constantly getting the best of everything, you begin to appreciate the simpler things." She explained, picking something out of a bowl and putting it into her mouth. "Mango." She added with a smug little smile.

Aang snickered at her, "Fine, I believe you. See if you can guess this." He added as he gave her something else.

She gagged, instantly spitting it out as a gut reaction. "Ick! What was that?" she asked, sputtering.

Aang was laughing uncontrollably from next to her, and she could easily feel the vibrations he was making in the ground. "It was a Brussels sprout." He explained, wiping a tear from his eye as he composed himself.

Toph blinked, "What the heck is a Brussels sprout?" she demanded, furrowing her eyebrows.

"It's like a mini plant or a bundle of leaves." He explained, still chuckling softly. "And I can tell you didn't like it."

Toph rolled her eyes, "No, you idiot, I loved it." She replied sarcastically, rolling her blind eyes.

Aang just laughed again, giving her something else to guess. "Watermelon." She answered, still glowering at him for the whole Brussels sprout thing. "I still can't believe you did that." She said, frown evident on her face.

Aang kissed her on the cheek, "Come on, love, how was I supposed to know you wouldn't like it?" he asked, and she could feel his smile as he nuzzled into her neck.

Toph huffed and crossed her arms, "Who could possibly like that? Those things are disgusting!" she objected, glaring.

Aang grinned against her neck, "I like them." He answered.

Toph snorted, "That's because you're a weirdo vegetarian." She replied; still not open to forgiving him.

Aang gave a small sigh as he moved away, "I apologize. I promise never to feed you Brussels sprouts again." He vowed, but Toph could sense the laugh that threatened to break through his somber tone.

"Whatever." She muttered, looking away from him in irritation as her cheeks burned slightly. He was mocking her, and she couldn't believe she hadn't gone through with her earlier threat yet.

Aang placed a finger on her chin, tilting her face back to him, and he lightly placed his lips to hers. She hadn't expected it, so she sat there in shock for a few moments before her mind caught up with what was happening.

Placing a hand on the back of his neck she pulled his slightly closer, kissing him with fervor as if she would die otherwise. Aang smirked against her lips before ending the kiss, slightly out of breath as he rested his forehead against hers, "So you forgive me now?" he asked, and she felt his eyebrow rise.

Toph glared playfully at him, knowing she couldn't possible say no, "You're forgiven… But just so you know, you cheated." She accused, smirking.

"I prefer, 'Using my talents to my advantage'." He argued with a grin.

Toph laughed, "Your 'talents'? I've kissed better." She said, smirk widening as she waited to see if he would catch her lie.

He frowned, "You're lying." He said, though she could sense his uncertainty.

"Nope." She giggled in response.

Aang narrowed his eyes, "Oh really? Who was it then?" he asked with a smirk, thinking he had beat her.

Toph shrugged nonchalantly, "Some Earth Kingdom guy. I can't rmember his name, but he was the best by far." She said easily, gauging his reacting.

Aangs frown deepened, "Please, I'm a much better kisser than him…" He objected, watching her face for a moment before the frown almost literally turned upside down. "Wait a second, you are lying! I used that trick you taught me a long time ago, to sense when people are lying, and I caught you red-handed." He smirked, taking her hands in his as he pretended to lock them there.

Toph grinned, "Very good, Twinkle Toes. It was still funny to you jealous, though." She snickered and he gently nudged her.

"Oh be quiet." He chuckled, placing another kiss on her cheek.

A servant walked up to her at that moment, and Toph instantly returned to her business persona. "What is it?" she asked as he held up a letter to read.

"Fire Lord Zuko requests your and the avatars presence this weekend for his wife's funeral service, and he asks you to keep him in your hearts as he deals with this difficult time in life." The servant stated, and Toph and Aang shared a look of shock. Mai was dead?

"Send a response stating that we'll be there." Toph answered, and the servant immediately rushed off to do as he was told.

Aang looked troubled when she looked back at him, and she squeezed his hand gently.

It seemed life wasn't so perfect after all.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's note: H**__ello everyone! After ages of being away, I have given my lovely fans a new chapter. Just a quick shoutout; I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, faved, and alerted this story because it honestly means the world to me. Every time I get a new one, it gives me an actual reason to keep coming back and writing... Even if the chapters are few and far between. So, please, review when you finish, let me know what your honest opinion is. Even if you think this story is terrible, let me know why. I enjoy constructive criticism :) I'll stop rambling now so you can go and enjoy this long awaited chapter :3_

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The wind buffeted Toph as she held on for dear life, and memories of their previous adventures assaulted her mind. She'd always hated riding on Appa, where her feet couldn't see anything. If she wasn't on the ground, she was helpless. She couldn't do a thing if they were attacked.

Aang sat in the junction between Appa's head and shoulders, limply holding the reigns as the bison flew. He was nervous, or rather, terrified of the impending doom that awaited them. This would be the first time that he and Toph would see Katara since the whole breakup, and the outcome did not look promising. Of course, he was probably just being overly dramatic. The whole thing would probably go without a cinch, and everyone would be perfectly fine.

Little did he know that Toph was having similar thoughts from where she sat. What if things got violent? What if Aang decided he'd made a huge mistake? All of her blatant insecurities came crashing down on her in an instant, and she mentally flinched at her thoughts. Even if she was a girl, these thoughts couldn't possibly be normal. Other girls would have probably been perfectly calm in this situation, so why couldn't she.

With an exasperated sigh, she let her head fall onto her arm, groaning inwardly as she fought with her own mind.

Mistaking it for air sickness, Aang gave her a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, love, we'll be there soon. I can see it now, so it's only a matter of time before we're able to land." He assured her gently, inconspicuously encouraging Appa to move faster.

Letting him think what he will, Toph felt her stomach do a somersault as he mentioned that they were drawing near. She could almost feel the tension building around her as she struggled to calm herself. She had never been this anxious in her life, or so it seemed at the time.

With grueling slowness, Appa descended until they were outside of the royal palace, and Aang came over to help Toph before he jumped down himself.

Resisting the urge to kiss the ground, Toph instead turned and gave Aang a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Thanks." She mumbled, more out of curtsey than actual gratitude.

He grinned anyways, taking her hand and leading her towards the giant palace that rested in front of them. The guards opened the doors for them when they approached, and directly in front of them sat the ornate gold throne, Fire Lord occupying it. Katara sat at his right hand in a chair that was much less glamorous, and they seemed to be deep in conversation.

Strolling in with easy, or so it seemed, confidence, Aang grinned and extended his arms for a hug. "Zuko! How've you been, old friend?" he asked loudly, and the other two quickly raised their heads in shock.

Zuko smiled and stood, taking a step towards Aang as they exchanged a short man-hug. "I've been better, but I've also been much worse." He said with a chuckle before looking over at Toph. "Hello Toph, enjoy the trip?" he questioned with a knowing smirk, placing his hands behind his back.

Toph rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at him in a childish manner, "Oh shut up, Zuko, no one asked you." She shot back, fighting her smile.

Zuko let out a laugh, and that's when Katara walked over quietly. "Hello Aang, Toph." She said curtly, nodding to each of them in turn.

Aang nodded in return, giving her a small, but slightly awkward, smile, "Hello Katara."

"Hello." Was all that Toph responded with, and Katara didn't seem surprised in the least.

Clearing his throat, Zuko spoke again, "Sokka and Suki are out in the garden, if you would like to go see them." He offered, gesturing to the doors that led outside.

Aang nodded and shot Zuko a grateful smile, "Sure, I'd like to see what's been going on in the South Pole lately." He decided, taking Toph's hand once again, not even thinking about the action.

Once outside, they saw Sokka and Suki sitting by the small pond, a little baby wrapped up in Suki's arms as it giggled and tried to wiggle away. As they approached, Aang quickly went over to greet his friend, grinning, "Sokka! You never told me about a new addition!" he accused teasingly, and Sokka returned the grin easily.

"You never asked!" he retorted back, and they exchanged a quick guy hug. Suki grinned and stood, still holding the baby.

"This is Ayla, everyone." Suki explained, giving Sokka a playful glare. The baby smiled up at them, light blue eyes contrasting against her tan skin and dark brown hair. Toph couldn't see the baby, but she joined in with everyone's coos of adulation.

Sokka's arm remained wrapped around his wife's waist, and he kissed the top of her head lightly as he smiled at Ayla.

As Toph stayed at the outskirts of the group, her mind began to wander to thoughts of the future and what it would be like if she and Aang did end up together in the end. That's when the heart-wrenching thought came to her; she'd never be able to see what her children looked like. She would always be in the dark, and it honestly didn't seem fair to her.

Deep in thought, she wasn't really aware of the fact that Zuko was speaking once again.

"The funeral is tomorrow… Would you be able to say a few words?" he asked, his tone somber as he looked at Aang.

He nodded, "I would be honored too." He said with a bow, and Zuko smiled as he dipped his head in return.

"Thank you."

Those were the last words spoken as everyone sort of faded in silence, mainly just enjoying each other's company. It had been years, far too long, and it was good just to be around each other again. Team Avatar was back.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Authors Note: **__I'm actually pretty pleased with myself on this chapter :) In my opinion, its the best yet ;D But just to warn you ahead of time, it switches between Aang and Toph's POV throughout the chapter, and you might just get frustrated XD That's why you should review so I have a reason to update ;P More reviews=faster update :) So, without further ado, here is the chapter :3_

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_-Aang POV-_

Aang paced silently in the room he had been assigned, mind clouded with thoughts as he replayed the description of Mai's death in his mind. It had been silent, in her sleep, and very sudden. She had complained of feeling strange before going to sleep that night, but no other strange behaviors had been noticed.

Without a doubt in his mind, he knew it had been murder.

With Iroh's and Mai's death only a year apart, it seemed unlikely for it to be mere chance. And at the funeral, Mai hadn't seemed sick in the least. If Aang was allowed to bet, he would have put his money on poison. He hadn't shared his thoughts with anyone yet, not even Toph, seeing as it would add even more to Zuko's already full plate.

With a groan, he flopped into the nearest chair and rested his head in his hands. A light knock sounded on the door, and he didn't move from his spot as he said a simple, "Come in." to whoever was at the door.

Toph walked in, seeming pretty exhausted herself as she cautiously walked towards the bed and sat down, having not become familiar with this place yet. "What's wrong, Twinkle Toes? You've been pacing for the past five minutes, and your steps are a lot heavier than usual." She pointed out, using his pet name in an effort to lighten the mood.

He smiled, lifting his head up with whatever energy he could muster. "I'm fine, don't worry. I'm just…. A little upset, is all. I mean, if I lost you I would be in even worse shape than Zuko is right now. I guess I'm just worried that it _will_ be you next." He rambled, attempting to come up with a suitable excuse.

Toph seemed to accept his jumbled mess of an explanation, because she gave him a sympathetic smile as she came over to him. "Don't worry about it, I'm not going anywhere soon." She assured him, almost awkwardly seeing as she wasn't used to discussions like this.

Aang forced a smile, a wave of guilt washing over him as he cursed himself for lying to her. The only thing that kept him from telling her the truth as she left the room, was the fact that it was absolutely nesacary for him to keep them out of this for as long as possible. With any luck, he'd be the next target instead of his friends.

_-Toph POV-_

Had she been fooled by Aang's sorry attempt at a lie? Not in the least. He was sending off every red flag known to man, and she could feel every one of them. Of course, she had no clue what the truth was, and her mind automatically jumped to the worst conclusion.

He was sorry he had left Katara, it was the only explanation. Seeing her again had probably triggered something in his mind, and he had remembered how much he truly loved her. Stopping in her tracks, Toph had to fight the weakling tears that threatened to ruin her image, thoughts bombarding her as she struggled with her many insecurities.

She had to find out what the truth was, and as she finally continued to her room, Toph felt for even though smallest movement from Aang's room, wanting to know what he was doing. Sensing his pacing footsteps once more, she sighed and sat down in a chair, making sure that her bare feet could still feel the floor.

Not even a minute later, Aang was moving down the hall at a rather speedy pace. But that wasn't what worried her, what worried her was that it was in the direction of Katara's room.

_-Aang POV-_

Aang rushed down the hall quickly, knowing that Katara would be the one person who could help him despite his reluctance to speak with her at the moment. She had been here the longest, and Zuko trusted her with things he wouldn't trust anyone else with.

Stopping in front of her door, Aang hesitated before giving a small knock, almost disappointed as the door swung open. She blinked in obvious surprise as she saw him standing there, and Aang gave her a sheepish smile. "Hi, Katara, I'm sorry for coming to you at this hour but I was hoping I could ask you a few questions about Zuko and Mai." He said quickly, not wanting to stay for longer than he had too.

Katara nodded, seeming too shocked to do much else at the moment as she moved into the room and gestured for him to follow. Sitting in a chair close to the fire place, she looked over at him, "What do you want to know?" she asked, not quite sure what this whole thing was about.

Taking the seat across from hers, Aang fidgeted slightly in awkwardness. "I was just wondering if you knew about any enemies that Zuko and Mai might've had." He stated, wringing his hands.

Katara raised an eyebrow, "Enemies? Couldn't you have just asked Zuko this?" she asked.

Aang shook his head, "Zuko has enough stress at the moment, and I don't want to worry him with something else."

She simply shrugged, allowing herself a moment to consider his question, "Well, there is this one group that they've had trouble with for a while now. They call themselves 'The Ashes', symbolizing their loyalty to Ozai, or the Phoenix King. They've been against Zuko from the start, but they aren't much of a threat. The most they've done is destroy a few cargo ships and rob a few caravans; they couldn't possibly have anything to do with this. And that's about it."

Aang took this all in, wanting to know as much as he could about this new group. With a smile, he stood, giving her a small bow, "Thank you, Katara, I was merely curious." He said, straightening up as he headed for the door.

Katara stopped him before he could make it too far though, a hand on his shoulder. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm not mad about this whole thing that happened. It was bound to happen someday, and I honestly think it was the best thing for us." She explained quickly, smiling as she spoke.

Aang easily returned the smile, shoulders relaxing as he felt the relief course through his body. "Thank you. I wish you only the best, Katara, you'll always be my friend no matter what happens." He assured her, and they both were obviously relieved.

With a hug, Aang said a quick farewell before heading back towards his room, mind consumed with thoughts of this mysterious group.

_-Toph's POV-_

Toph sat frozen in place as she considered what her feet had just seen. Aang and Katara had talked for a while, and just before Aang had left Katara had stopped him for a moment before they had gotten pretty close together. It could have been an innocent hug, but from Toph's perspective, it wasn't likely. Moving stiffly to her bed, Toph sat there in relative shock, mulling over everything that had happened in the past few days. Sure, she was being pretty stalkerish when she was watching his every move, but with how he's been acting since they got here, she almost views it as necassary.

Maybe Aang wasn't completely hers after all.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Authors Note: _**_Why haven't I updated, you ask? Writers block is an evil thing, my friends, and it was helped by none other than the cruel villians, School and Sports X3 I am so sorry for not posting an update though, and hope you like this chapter a lot more than I do. This is what writers block does to you, unfortunatly DX_

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_*Aang POV*_

Aang spent the next few days immersed in research concerning the illusive group that Katara had told him about, but that couldn't keep him from thinking about the most troubling thing that had occurred.

Toph was avoiding him, and he didn't know why.

It didn't matter what she was doing, as soon as he came anywhere close to her she was gone in the next moment. As much as he wanted to confront her about it, he couldn't find the chance to do so. When his mind wasn't completely occupied, all he could think about were reasons she could possibly mad at him. What had he said? What _hadn't _he said? Did he do something wrong?

As he was occupied with his thoughts, a knock came from the door to his study. "Hey, Zuko here!" came the voice on the other side, a grin evident in the man's tone.

Aang chuckled, "Come in!" he called in return, getting up from his seat to greet him.

Exchanging a quick brotherly hug, Zuko glanced over at the desk covered in an array of scrolls and documents. "Late night studying again, I see." He mused, raising an eyebrow. "You should probably be spending a little more time with Toph; she's seemed kind of down lately… And she's spent a lot of time chucking rocks at things, as of late." He added, mostly out of humor.

Aang blinked at his friend, could that be why he was being avoided? No, it couldn't be, why would she avoid him if she wanted to spend time with him? It wouldn't make much sense. "Well… She's kind of been avoiding me… I've tried talking to her, but she always disappears before I can catch up to her. Not to mention that chasing her down wouldn't help the situation much." He explained dejectedly, rubbing his left temple to ease the hint of a migraine he was getting.

This seemed to surprise the Fire Lord, "Really? I could try and talk to her, if you wanted." He offered, attempting to be relatively helpful to his friend.

Aang gave a simple shrug, figuring it wouldn't help anyways, "If you want, Toph can be pretty stubborn." He added with a slight chuckle that didn't seem to contain any humor.

Clapping his friend on the shoulder, Zuko gave Aang a brief smile before turning away; heading down the halls towards the throne room. That's where she usually hung out after all.

_*Toph POV*_

Toph gritted her teeth as she jammed another flower into the vase, wondering why she had agreed to help Katara and Suki with this mundane task. They were setting up the vases for Mai's funeral, and Toph was nearly beside herself in boredom. She didn't even like flowers, it's not like they really added anything to a room. Then again, she was blind, so what did she know?

Suki had glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow as her lips curved into a smile, "Careful there, wouldn't want to break the flowers." She warned with a laugh before giving her a quizzical look, "What has you all aggravated anyways?"

Toph froze, a flower poised in mid air as she had been about to place it in one of the vases. "Nothing. Nothing at all." She replied shortly, fuming beneath the surface. She liked Suki, don't get her wrong, but she wasn't going to say anything while Katara was sitting there all perfect-like.

Suki rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, Toph. You and Aang are probably just in an argument or something, it happens to all of us." She said, and Toph couldn't help but glare daggers at her.

Katara had been sitting there quietly, but she spoke up as someone appeared in the room. "Look, its Zuko." She pointed out, smiling slightly at just the sight of him. Suki noticed, giving her an odd look, but Toph was still fuming silently at the accusation.

Zuko smiled as he approached them, hands clasped behind his back. "Hello ladies, I was wondering if I could steal Toph away for a moment?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at the group.

Toph had no idea what he could possibly want with her, but she stood up anyways, shrugging. "Sure, where are we going?" she inquired, looking straight at him despite her blindness.

"I just need to speak with you on something, so it'll only be a moment." He told her instead, leading her away from the group before turning to look at her. "So…. What's going on between you and Aang?"

Toph blushed crimson as he spoke those words, feeling anger bubbling up inside of her. Why did everyone care anyways?! Why couldn't they just leave her alone? "Nothing." She spat at him, letting him know of her irritation with her tone.

Zuko rolled his eyes, glad she couldn't see him do so. He'd probably get flung across the room for it with her current mood. "You and I both know that's not true." He argued, "Aang has miserable ever since you started avoiding him, and I think he deserves to know why." He shot back, crossing his arms across his chest.

Gritting her teeth, Toph just stared at the ground, too angry to form words at the moment. "Well maybe he should go talk to Katara is he's so lonely, they seemed pretty cozy the other night." She growled, voicing the reason for the first time since it happened.

Zuko could only blink at this news, shocked at this new development. So that's why she had been avoiding Aang, which was a pretty legitimate reason. But why was he so upset then? Needing to know the other half of the story before making any form of answer, he decided to go speak with Aang again.

"I've got to speak with Aang now, see his side of this story. I'm sure nothing's going on." He spoke quickly, attempting to reassure her before he turned and headed down the hall towards where he had left Aang. Shaking his head with a sigh, he silently hoped Toph was wrong, for reasons he couldn't quite identify.

Toph stayed where she was, staring at the ground as a single tear rolled down her cheek, only to be quickly wiped away with her sleeve. This is why she didn't want to have feelings; they made her weak and helpless. Turning in the opposite direction of Zuko, Toph headed down a separate hall, nearly running in an attempt to get away.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Authors Note: **__Chapter 10, yay! :D As a kind of 'anniversary' for the story, I've added a little something into it that will leave you all yelling at me... I assume ;3 Don't worry, there's plenty of fluff too, I couldn't go to long without a little of that X3 Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope you all actually read it despite my horrid previous chapter ;p Love you guys!_

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When Zuko entered the room where he had left Aang earlier, an air of almost anger surrounded him. "Are you really cheating on Toph with Katara?" he demanded, eyes narrowing minimally.

Aang blinked in surprise as the man entered his room, not sure how to respond out of pure shock. I mean, what else were you supposed to say when someone accused you of that? "What the heck are you talking about?" he asked instead, words coming out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Zuko frowned, "Exactly what I said. Are you seeing Katara again?" he asked once again, his tone betraying his forced look of patience.

Aang coughed on nothing, a look of complete disbelief taking over, "Me? Where did you hear that from? I'm with Toph, Katara and I split a while ago. Why would we be seeing each other?"

With a sigh, Zuko decided it was best to tell him, "Toph told me she could sense you in Katara's room, hugging her or whatnot just the other day… I haven't doubted Toph's ability before, so why should I now?"

Aang was completely floored when he heard this, and he felt like blocks of stone had come crashing down on him. This was actually pretty ironic, if you thought about it. Looking up at Zuko with a panicked expression, he quickly moved to explain this, "It's not what you think. I went to ask Katara about some questions concerning The Ashes, and then we sort of made it official that we weren't together anymore… We hugged afterwards, but that was it, I swear."

Zuko listened to this quietly, understanding what he was saying. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of relief, and he quickly tried to hide it. It was his wife's funeral; after all, he couldn't be having these thoughts. "Ok… Now you've just got to tell Toph… Perhaps I can lure her outside for a bit of 'training', and that's where you'll be waiting." He offered, formulating the plan as he would normally form battle strategy in his war meetings. Despite the time of peace, threats were still ever present.

Aang nodded in determination, mouth set in a hard line. "She probably won't listen to me still… But we can give it a shot."

*Toph POV*

Toph was sitting in a side room alone, sniffling quietly as the disgusting tears rolled down her cheeks as she furiously tried to wipe them away. Why did Aang have this effect on her? Why couldn't she be strong in this part of her life, like she was in all of the other areas? I mean, Toph and tears just don't go together at all.

So preoccupied with her own thoughts, Toph barely felt Zuko approach before he was practically right next to her. "Hey, Toph, want to go train? I'm getting a little rusty." He said with a kind smile, nothing in his words betraying his true intention. He was a politician after all.

Toph quickly wiped away the last of her tears, trying to appear nonchalant as she shrugged, "Sure, why not?" she replied, standing up. She didn't even bother to ask how he had found her, servants were perhaps the nosiest people ever. As they walked outside, Toph hoped you-know-who hadn't decided to ambush her with an air scooter, since that was indeed the only way she wouldn't be able to see him.

Zuko, of course, had no trouble seeing Aang balancing upon the bubble of air, giving him a nod before starting to walk away. "Zuko…?" Toph questioned in confusion, wondering what he was doing. That was when she felt those unmistakable footsteps reach her through the ground, and she silently cursed every holy thing she knew of. Whatever divine was out there, it probably despised her. Before she could respond by walking away, Aang had grabbed her arm to stop her progress, keeping her there.

"Toph, please listen to me…" he pleaded, his tone implying that he was relatively close to getting on his knees and begging. Which, if Toph was honest, would actually make her feel a little better.

"What?" she asked instead, tone harsh as she continued to face in the opposite direction.

"I'm not cheating on you." Aang blurted out, wincing as he realized he could have been a lot gentler with that news. "I mean, there's nothing going on between Katara and I. Zuko came and spoke with me about what you told him, and I want you to know that it isn't true. I love you Toph, more than anything. Sure, I used to have feelings for Katara. But we understand that we've moved on with our lives, and the feelings I felt for her are nothing compared to what I feel for you." He practically rambled, words spilling out before he could quite control them.

Toph blinked away the wetness that entered her eyes, and she slowly turned to face him. "Aang… I- I didn't know…" she trailed off, giving up her tough act to throw her arms around his neck as she cried into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry…" she sobbed, and he held her tenderly, softly reassuring her as his heart began to swell in his chest.

"It's fine Toph, you didn't know. All that matters is you, right now. You have no idea how much I've missed you." He said, voice thick as he hugged her tightly.

Now, most would think that this was perhaps the perfect scene, the perfect ending to the day. And it would've been, had that next event not occurred just at this point.

An explosion from somewhere else in the castle shook the floor as Aang and Toph were unbalanced, forced to erect pillars of stone to keep themselves planted. "What was-" Before Aang could finish his sentence, Zuko burst out into the garden area, the gang behind him.

"We're being attacked! It's The Ashes!" he explained quickly, looking around at the panicking people wildly. "Is Appa nearby? We need to evacuate now." He added, looking directly at Aang.

Taking Toph's hand in his own, he nodded stonily, "Yes, come with me." He ordered everyone, another explosion going off to their right that he and Toph were only able to block it with a wall of stone a few moments afterwards, still being knocked off of their feet by the force. "Run!" Aang ordered as he scrambled to his feet, helping Toph up before leading her to where Appa had alighted.

Everyone scrambled onto the bison's back, settling into the saddle only seconds before Appa leapt into the air, explosions continuing to sound off behind them. The gang was solemn as they sat their silently, most of them watching the destruction with mourning. It seemed that today would only be the beginning of their struggles, and it seemed it was going to be very different from their battles when they were only kids.


End file.
